The spread of blood- or fluid-borne communicable and contagious diseases, such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), infectious hepatitis, syphilis and the like, continues to be of grave epidemiological concern. Of particular concern is the spread of AIDS and hepatitis among intravenous (IV) drug-users. It has been broadly estimated that more than half of the incidence of AIDS in an urban population center, e.g., New York City, may be directly attributed to intravenous drug use, i.e., the sharing or exchange of needles among IV drug users.
The incidence of AIDS among IV drug users has become so widespread that public health authorities are advocating the free distribution of clean needles to addict drug users.
It is clearly apparent that a means to limit the use of hypodermic needles to only a single injection in a patient or user would be highly desirable to slow the spread of contagious blood diseases, e.g., AIDS and hepatitis.